Broncos fire coach Mike Shanahan after late-season collapse

DENVER (AP) — Mike Shanahan, the second longest-tenured NFL coach, was fired by the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after the team lost a three-game lead with three games to go in the AFC West.

DENVER (AP) — Mike Shanahan, the second longest-tenured NFL coach, was fired by the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after the team lost a three-game lead with three games to go in the AFC West.

Shanahan, 56, coached the Broncos since 1995, behind only Tennessee's Jeff Fisher in tenure with one team. He led the Broncos to consecutive Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999 and compiled a record of 146-89 with the team.

This season, the Broncos had an 8-5 record but lost their final three, including a 52-21 defeat Sunday night in San Diego that gave the Chargers the division title. They are the first NFL team to blow a three-game lead with three games to go.

He also was dismissed as director of football operations.

Shanahan, who also served as offensive coordinator in Denver and San Francisco and was head coach of the Raiders in 1988 and for the first four games of 1989, has been regarded as one of the league's best offensive minds.

But the Broncos failed this season on defense, allowing 448 points, third worst in the NFL. They were 29th, or fourth worst, in yards allowed.

Shanahan had three years left on his contract, worth about $20 million.

His firing is likely to put him in demand by other teams that have fired coaches: the New York Jets, Detroit, and Cleveland.